Shipping and display container



y 13, 1958 J. DUSSEAULT 2,834,461

SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed A ril-so. 195a 31 INVENTOR. JOHN L.DUSSEAULT PM M ATTORNEYS Unite SHIPPING AND DISPLAY CONTAINER John L.Dusseault, Chelmsford, Mass.

Application April 30, 1956, Serial No. 581,760 11 Claims. (Cl. 206-65)ducing a bulky package which itself may be excessively costly to ship.In addition, the use of multiple pads or fillers and the use ofstrapping have sometimes required the complete destruction of thecontainer at the reception point, thus preventing the bottles from beingdisplayed in their original container.

The object of this invention is to provide a substantially open sidedcontainer for supporting and cushioning one or more bottles, whenshipped within a tubular carton, and for displaying the bottles, whenthe carton is removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wraparound typecontainer for frangible bottles in which the bottles are cushioned atthe bottom and at each opposite end by bearing against resilientlyhinged integral flaps which absorb any impact or shock during shipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blank for such acontainer which may be formed of one piece of corrugated paper boardwithout undue waste and without requiring complicated manipulation to beerected into a container. A

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theclaims, the description of the drawings, and from the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred blank from which the container ofthis invention is formed.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing the container of this invention beingerected around a plurality of identical bulge bottles. I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the container wrapped aroundthe bottles but with the cushioning and stiffening flaps not yet inplace.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing all flaps of thecontainer in place ready for display or shipment, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the container right side up and beingslid into the tubular carton in which it is preferably shipped.

As shown in Fig. l the preferred form of blank 20 is unitary and formedof one piece of corrugated paperboard of any desired type suitable forshipping cartons.

Blank 20 includes a rectangular bottom panel 21, a first rectangular endpanel 22, a rectangular top panel 23 and a second rectangular end panel24. Each blank is designed to hold a predetermined number of identicalbottles, each of a predetermined size and shape and for illustrationpurposes a blank for containing three identical bottles such as 32, 33and 34 has been selected.

2 ,834,461 Patented May 13, 1958 Bottles such as 32 are well known andwill be referred to herein as bulge bottles, meaning thereby that theyare usually formed with a flat unbreakable cap 35, a short neck 36, asquat, bulging body portion 37 and a flat bottom 38. It should be notedthat the lateral width of the four rectangular panels 21, 22, 23 and 24is substantially greater than the corresponding maximum dimension, suchas the maximum diameter of a bottle 32 whereby the longitudinal foldlines 40 and 41, which form the side edges of the container, are at apredetermined spaced distance beyond and outside the frangible sidewalls of the bodies 37 of the bottles such as 32. The longitudinaldimension of the top panel 23 and the bottom panel 21 is also greaterthan the corresponding dimension of a bottle 32, and where three bottlesare carried as illustrated, it is substantially greater than the totalsof the corresponding dimensions of the bottles such as 32, 33 and 34 toprovide ample space at each end and between bottles when the blank 20 iserected. The longitudinal dimension of each end panel 22 and 24 issubstantially greater than the height of the body 37 of a bottle 32whereby a predetermined space will be provided between the bottom 38 ofa bottle 32 and the bottom panel 21 when the carton is erected.

Detachable connecting means is provided at each end of the series ofpanels 21, 22, 23 and 24 comprising a tapered tongue flap 42 hingedlyconnected along lateral fold line 43 to the bottom panel 21 and atapered tongue slot flap 44 hingedly connected to the second end panel24 along lateral fold line 45. A tongue slot 46 is provided in flap 44-for receiving the tongue flap 42 when the blank 2t) is erected into therectangular, wrap around, container shown in Figs. 3-5.

The top panel 23 is provided with aligned spaced apertures 48, 49 and 50conforming in outline to the outline of the neck of a bottle such as 32,in the example shown, this being circular and positioned to space thebottles apart and from the end panels 22 and 24. Each aperture such as48 is formed by a plurality of inwardly projecting, radial tongues suchas 51 and 52, hingedly connected at their bases 53 to the panel 23, butdefining the aperture 48 at their free tips such as 54. Preferably theapertures such as 48 are of less area than the corresponding crosssectional area of a bottle 32 to enable the tongues to yield when a cap35 is advanced therethrough and enable the tips 54 to restrain the capagainst retraction therefrom without substantial force and distortion ofthe tongues. Thus the apertures such as 48 do not merely looselysurround the necks of the bottles such as 32 but instead, the necks 36are preferably clamped in the apertures and the bottle so firmlyattached thereto that it will be raised with the top panel if the toppanel is raised.

A pair of identical bottle cushioning flaps 60 and 61 are hingedlyconnected to bottom panel 21 along longitudinal fold lines 40 and 41,each flap being coextensive longitudinally with panel 21 along the foldlines. The cushioning flaps 60 and 61 areeach of less lateral width thanone half the lateral width of the panel 21 and arranged to be bentinwardly toward each other at an acute angle to the bottom panel '21 asshown in Fig. 2. When so folded the free side edges 62 and 63 of theflaps 6i) and 61 are in parallelism with the bottom panel 3 67 for apurpose to be hereinafter explained. Preferably the tapered end portions66 and 67 taper outwardly away from each other at 68 and 69 at thelongitudinal centre line of the flap 60 to form each end 64 and 65 witha V shaped notch such as 70 or 71.

A pair of identical bottle buttressing flaps 80 and 81 are hingedlyconnected to top panel 23 along longitudinal fold lines 40 and 41, eachflap being coextensive longitudinally with panel 23 along the foldlines. Flaps 80 and 81, like flaps 60 and 61, are of less width thanhalf the width of the panel to which they are attached and each flapsuch as 80 is provided with aligned, spaced cutouts or recesses such as82, 83 and 84 arranged to embrace the top portion of the bodies 37 ofthe bottles to retain the same against lateral movement in anydirection. Recesses such as 82 are parti-circular to conform with thecircular shape of the corresponding portion of the bottles 32 and thebuttressing flaps 80 and 81 are arranged to be folded inwardly towardeach other at an acute angle to the top panel 23 to the position shownin 80 and 81 buttress the bottle against axial movement outwardlyrelative to top panel 23. The bottles are thus firmly seated and securedin the top panel 23 to flex therewith and with the cushioning flaps 60and 61 under axial impact.

A pair of stiffening flaps 90 and 91 is provided on first end panel 22and an identical pair of stiffening flaps 92 and 93 is provided onsecond end panel 23, all of said flaps being hingedly connected theretoalong longitudinal fold lines 40 or 41. Each stiffening flap such as 90is rectangular in outline, coextensive longitudinally with the endpanels 22 or 24 and of a lateral width, at least near each opposite endsuch as 95 and 96 thereof, approximately equal to the correspondingoblique dimension of the tapered portions 66 and 67 of the adjacentcushioning flap. Each pair of stiffening flaps such as 90 and 91 isarranged to be folded inwardly to cause each flap to converge toward theother at an acute angle to the end panel to which it is attached in themanner shown in Figs. 4 and 5. One squared end 95 of each stiffeningflap thus becomes seated behind the tapered portion 66 or 67 of theadjacent cushioning flap to lock the fiaps such as 90 and 91 againstoutward unfolding. In addition, the stiffening flaps such as 90 areseated within the notches such as 70 or 71 whereby the tapered portions68 and 69 of the cushioning flaps are locked inside the free verticaledges 98 and 99 of the flaps 90 or 91 to doubly insure the maintenanceof all flaps in position during shipment. The other squared end 96 ofeach stiffening flap becomes seated behind the tapered end 85 or 86 ofthe adjacent buttressing flap to further lock the end flaps in position.The bottles themselves lock the cushioning flaps and the buttressingflapsin position against outward unfolding.

If desired, the stiffening flaps 90, 91, 92 and 93 may be so dimensionedlaterally with relation to the shape and size of the bottles such as 32,to cause the free side edges such as 97 or 98 thereof to engage thesides of the adjacent end bottle when the flaps are inwardly folded andupstanding as in Fig. 4. In addition, loose doubled corrugatedpaperboard inserts such as 100 may be used between adjacent bottles suchas 32 and 33 to further prevent any tendency to breakage.

In operation, the flat blank is placed with the top panel down on asuitable support such as 101 and with the apertures 48, 49 and 50 inregistration with recesses all) 4 such as 102, 103 and 104 in thesupport 101. Bottles such as 32, 33 and 34 are then turned upside downand the caps of each bottle forced into the apertures 48, 49 and untilthe inwardly projecting radial tongues such as 51 surrounding theapertures have secured a firm grip around the necks 36 of the bottles asshown in Fig. 2. The cushioning flaps and 61 of bottom panel 21 are thennearly overfolded inwardly to an acute angle therewith and the bottompanel 21 and end panels 22 and 24- are brought around the bottles toform a quadranr container by folding on the lateral or corner fold lines1%, 106 and 107. The container is detachably connected by the insertionof tongue flap 42 in the slot 46 of tongue slot flap 44 as shown in Fig.3. The buttressing flaps and 81 of top panel 23 may be folded into placebefore the insertion of the caps 35 in apertures such as 43 or may be sofolded after the container is in the condition shown in Fig. 3. Theoverfolding of the flaps 80 and 81 to nearly an acute angle with toppanel 23 causes the recesses such as 82 to each embrace one of thebottles and steady the same against all lateral movement. As shown inFig. 4 the stiffening flaps 90, 91, 92 and 93 are then nearly overfoldedinwardly to cause the ends and 96 thereof to become seated behind atapered end such as 85 of the adjacent buttressing flap and within thenotch such as 70 of the adjacent cushioning flap. The inserts may thenbe slideably inserted from the open sides of the container into positionbetween adjacent bottles. The container is thus in condition fordisplaying the bottles therein within a rectangular frame formed by theangularly disposed flaps on each of the four panels thereof and thefrangible contents are protected'from impact or shock at top, bottom andboth ends. The side walls of the bottles are in planes spaced behind theplanes of the open side walls of the container so that even if thecontainer were dropped on its side the bottles would not strike thesurface upon which the container drops.

Preferably a tubular, collapsible carton 110 is provided, as shown inFig. 5, for enclosing the container during shipment. Carton 110 fitstightly around the container so that its top wall 111 engages the caps35, its bottom wall engages the bottom panel 21 and its side wallsengage the side edges such as 112, 113 and 114 of the container formedby fold lines such as 40 and 41. Suitable end flaps of any well knowntype may be provided on carton 110 to cover the ends thereof duringshipment.

I claim:

1. A blank for a bottle display and shipping container said blankcomprising a flat sheet of corrugated, foldable, box board having fourrectangular panels foldably connected along lateral, parallel fold linesto form in series a bottom panel, a first end panel, a top panel and asecond end panel, said top panel having at least one aperture thereinfor receiving the neck of a bottle; a tongue flap foldably connected tothe free end of said bottom panel and a tongue slot flap foldablyconnected to the free end of said second end panel for detachablyconnecting said free ends to form a container; a pair of bottlecushioning flaps each hingedly connected along a longitudinal fold lineto an opposite side of said bottom panel, each of a width less than halfthe width of said bottom panel and each having free opposite ends formedas V shaped locking notches; a pair of bottle buttressing flaps, eachhingedly connected along a longitudinal fold line to an opposite side ofsaid top panel, each of a width less than half the width of said toppanel and each having free opposite tapered ends and a pair of freestiffening flaps on each said end panel, each flap of each pair beinghingedly connected along an opposite longitudinal fold line, andcoextensive with, an end flap, each stiffening flap being of a widthless than half the width of an end panel and each stiffening flap beingadapted to be retained in a notch of one of said bottle cushioning flapswhen said blank is erected.

2. A blank as specified in claim 1 wherein each said end wall is ofsubstantially greater length than the height, from base to neck, of abottle with which said blank is adapted to be used thereby enabling saidcushioning flaps to converge upwardly from said bottom panel toward thebase of a bottle when said blankis erected.

3. A blank as specified in claim 1 wherein each said top panel is formedwith a plurality of radial, inwardly projecting tongues encircling anddefining said aperture and said aperture is of less area than the crosssectional area of the neck of a bottle with which said blank is adaptedto be used, said tongues being cooperable with said buttressing flaps tofirmly seat a bottle in said top panel, when said blank is erected.

4. A wrap around folding box for the visual packaging of bulge typebottles, said box comprising four rectangular panels substantiallygreater in width than the maximum diameter of a bulge bottle to becontained therein and connected in series by corner fold lines to form atop panel, a first end panel, a bottom panel and a second end panel,said top panel having at least one aperture therein; integral,detachable, connecting means at the free ends of said series of panelsfor detachably connecting said free ends together; a pair of bottlecushioning flaps, each hingedly connected to an opposite side of saidbottom panel, each folded inwardly toward the other at an acute angle tosaid bottom panel to resiliently support the bottom of a bottledepending by its neck portion from an aperture in said top panel andeach having a locking notch at each opposite end thereof; a pair ofbottle buttressing flaps each hingedly connected to an opposite side ofsaid top panel, each folded inwardly toward the other at an acute angleto said top panel and each having oppositely disposed cutouts in thefree side edge thereof for embracing the adjacent side of the top of abulge bottle and buttressing the same against lateral movement in anydirection and two pairs of stiffening flaps each pair hingedly connectedto an opposite side of one of said end panels and each flap of each pairbeing folded inwardly toward the other at an acute angle to itsrespective end panel and seated in the notch of the adjacent cushioningflap.

5. A wrap around container for the visual packaging of flat bottom,short neck bottles, said container comprising a unitary, quadrangularbox of corrugated paperboard foldably connected at the corners andhaving a bottom panel, two opposite end panels and a top panel, said toppanel having at least one aperture therein adapted to receive the neckof a bottle and suspend the same within said container at a spaceddistance above the bottom panel; a pair of free bottle cushioning flapseach on an opposite side of said bottom panel and each folded inwardlytoward the other at an acute angle to said bottom panel, said flapshaving free parallel side edges resiliently supporting and slidablyengaging the flat bottom face of a bottle suspended in an aperture; apair of free bottle buttressing flaps each on an opposite side of saidtop panel and each folded inwardly toward the other at an acute angle tosaid top panel said flaps having free side edges provided withoppositely disposed recesses each embracing the adjacent top portion ofa bottle to restrain the same against lateral movement in any directionand two pairs of free stiffening flaps each flap of each pair being onan opposite side of one of said end panels and folded inwardly towardthe other flap of the pair at an acute angle to its respective end paneland being restrained against outward folding by the adjacent end of theadjacent cushioning flap.

6. A combination as specified in claim 5 wherein each opposite end ofeach said cushioning flap and each opposite end of each said buttressingflap is tapered inwardly from the fold line thereof at an angle of aboutforty-five degrees but said stiffening flaps are rectangular in outline.

7. A combination as specified in claim 5 wherein each opposite end ofeach said cushioning flap is provided with a V notch for seating theadjacent edge portion of an end panel flap.

8. A combination as specified in claim 5 wherein the aperture in saidtop panel is circular and defined by the tips of a plurality of radial,inwardly projecting tongues formed in said top panel, said tonguesengaging under the rim of the cap of a bottle in said aperture tobuttress the same against axial movement in cooperation with saidbuttressing flaps.

9. A cushioning container for shipping a plurality of longitudinallyaligned, frangible bottles of the type having an unbreakable flat topcap, a short neck, a squat bulging body and a fiat bottom, saidcontainer comprising a quadrangular body of corrugated paperboard havinga top panel with spaced, longitudinally aligned apertures for receivingthe necks of a plurality of bottles and suspending the same; a pair ofopposite end panels each of greater height than the height of saidbottles and foldably connected to said top panel, a bottom panelfoldably con nected to each of said end panels and extending parallel tosaid top panel at a spaced distance below the fiat bottoms of thebottles suspended therefrom; a pair of bottle cushioning flaps, eachcoextensive with, and inwardly folded at an acute angle from, anopposite longitudinal edge of said bottom panel to position the freelongitudinal edges thereof in parallelism under the bottoms of saidbottles for cushioning the same and a pair of stiffening flaps, on eachsaid end panel, each stiffening flap of each pair being coextensivewith, and inwardly folded at an acute angle from an opposite verticaledge of an end panel to position the free vertical edges of each pair inparallelism against the end of an end bottle for cushioning the same,said end flaps being rectangular in outline and said cushioning flapshaving tapered ends for enabling each end flap to be seated behind thetapered end of the adjacent cushioning flap while stiffening saidcontainer.

10. A container as specified in claim 9 wherein the lateral dimensionsof said top end and bottom panels are identical and greater than thecorresponding maximum lateral dimension of the bottles to be containedtherein whereby the planes of the sides of said bottles are at a spaceddistance inwardly from the planes of the side edges of said container.

11. A container as specified in claim 10 plus a tubular collapsiblecarton of corrugated paperboard sleeved over said container inengagement with the under face of said bottom panel with the side edgesof said container and with the upper faces of the caps of said bottles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

